On Saturday, June 13, 2009 in early AM hours a special move consisting of GP-40-2 no. 426, a steam crane, steam locomotive 253 and an assortment of old passenger and freight cars including an FEC caboose left Hialeah Yard for Fort Pierce where the historic equipment is being set up in a museum. The steam engine is a former FEC 0-8-0 and they plan a lot of work on it in the future, it already shows evidence of some work as well.

I watched or photographed it at Fort Lauderdale drawbridge, Cypress Creek and Pompano. The train was known as work extra 426 and it stopped at various places along the way to check the bearings and do a brake test. I did not get the final arrival at Fort Pierce but they made the trip in one day and with one crew very safely and with a lot of people following this historic move by highway.

At Fort Lauderdale I saw SB 121 and 335 and at Cypress Creek I saw 123. At Pompano the extra waited for train 109 south so we had other trains to watch too. By Pompano I had chased far enough and after watching trains last night as well, I headed for a lunch and then home to get some badly needed rest but it was a great day.

This move had been in the works for a long time and when we got word last week that it was to be this morning, we were wondering if there would be any more last minute hitches but NO it was GO GO GO. I could have posted it on here earlier but after the questions and concerns of a few on a move this past week out of Danbury, Connecticut, I decided not to cause any possible problems with somebody looking to make trouble for the organizers of the museum nor the Florida East Coast which gave the move full support and cooperation. At no time did I encounter any problems with State Police, County Sheriff Officers, Local Police Officers or Railroad Police or Special Agents and they were seen more than once during this event.

Florida is one place that at least I can enjoy my hobby without much problem with police, special agents or other higher authorities. All the railroads ask is that you stay off their posted property and the FEC is well posted.

I don't know exactly how many people saw this move but it had to be in the hundreds, maybe some pictures will appear in print someplace but not mine, I am not a very good photographer and sometimes I am satisfied just to watch and not bother to photograph.

Caboose 715, one of a series belonging to Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway, left its base Oct. 1 at the Florida Pioneer Museum in Florida City for its new permanent home at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum near Zoo Miami.

The wooden caboose arrived at the Florida City museum in January 1967. It is believed to be the last of its kind of 60 previous existing Florida East Coast cabooses numbered 701-760.

“We are happy to know that caboose 715 has a permanent home now,” said Richard C. Beall, an engineer for Tri-Rail who took on the much-needed restoration project of the “old girl” three years ago.